Raising Spirits And Awareness At The Native American Pow Wow

A dancer competes at one of the many dance competitions during the USU pow wow.

Credit Native American Student Council

Held in the spring to celebrate the renewal of life, pow-wows have traditionally served as vehicles for sharing and preserving Native American culture. The Native American Student Council at Utah State University will be hosting their annual pow-wow this weekend. Jason Brough, the president of this council, is Shoshone and part of the north-western band.

“If you go to the pow-wow, there’s a lot of spirituality that’s out there. It’s very much a religious ceremony, so you can still get those same feelings. You start hearing the drum going and that, I find, inspires people to learn more about the culture,” Brough says.

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Pow wows are rife with symbolism, from the traditional regalia or special dress, to the symbolism of the circle which the audience and drum group form. Regardless of your background, there is something there for everyone.

“We encourage everybody to come. Sometimes people get a little nervous and feel like they can’t be there because they’re not an American Indian. That’s one of the things we try to dispel as a club. We’re actively out in the community trying to let people know that this is something everyone can come and participate in," Brough says.

The pow-wow is scheduled to be held at the Nelson Fieldhouse located on the Utah State University Campus from Friday, Feb 28 to Saturday, March 1st. For more information visit the Native American Student Council website.